


Short Stories with Tragic Endings

by orphan_account



Category: Game Grumps
Genre: Angst, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Infidelity, Songfic, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-21
Updated: 2014-08-21
Packaged: 2018-02-14 03:19:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,310
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2176098
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Did you ever look, did you ever see that one person,<br/>And the subtle way that they do these things and it hurts so much?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Short Stories with Tragic Endings

 

_Did you ever look, did you ever see that one person_   
_And the subtle way that they do these things and it hurts so much?_   
_So much like choking down the embers of a great blaze._

You’d been sitting under a blanket, watching some movie on Netflix when you heard the rampant knocking on your door. It’s late, you’re not expecting anyone, and the movie you’ve just watched makes you slightly nervous as you walk over to the door, blanket wrapped securely around you. The apartment shakes as a loud thunder boulders outside. You’re not afraid of thunder, but there’s an eerie feeling in the house, undoubtedly because of the horror you’ve just finished watching. The credits are still rolling down the screen, a soft melody accompanying it. You stop in front of the door, wishing there was a peephole in it. That you could see who’s banging loudly, frantically on the door before opening it.

Barry’s drunk. He mumbles a low ‘hello’ as he stumbles into your apartment, almost tripping as he walks. Usually when the bearded man is drunk, he’s smiling, laughing, maybe even singing a few songs off-key. But not tonight. Tonight is completely different. He's somber, silent as he crosses the room, plops down on the couch. Raindrops drip down his face, but he doesn’t seem to even register them, he just watches you as you stare back at him.  
“Barry, what are you doing here? It’s-” you pull your arm out of the comfort of the blanket still wrapped around you, look at the watch. “-way too late, shouldn’t you be home?” It’s not that you have anything against the sudden visit from your friend, it’s just the gloomy look on his face, the way he’s just sitting there watching you, that makes you uncomfortable.

 

_And it breaks my heart to know the only reason you are here now is_   
_A reminder of what I'll never have_

“I just had to see you,” his speech is slurred, monotone. It’s never a good sign when Barry’s not happy, when he willingly shows you that he’s suffering. It rarely happens, but when it does, it breaks your heart. You close the door, walk over to him, get down on your knees before him. He’s crouched down, looking down at his feet as you take his hands in yours, squeeze lightly.  
“What’s on your mind?” You keep your voice even, soft, try to read his face. Barry hides his emotions with ease, but there’s a glint of misery tucked away in the crook of his eye, a transparent liquid growing with every breath he takes.

Deep inside, you already know what he’s going to say, because you’ve seen this happen before. Oh, how you wish you didn’t know, that you were wrong, but you know you’re not. You feel for him, you really do. You cannot even begin to imagine how it must feel, to see you with Dan. Every time you come over, every time you stay the night in the room next to his. There’s thorns in your throat and nails in your heart as he pulls his arms out of your grip, buries his head in the palms of his hands. For a while he just breathes, loud, raspy breaths, is he crying? You can’t tell. But you let him be, not straying from his side. Waiting till he’s ready to look up at you again, to face the facts and talk to you.

It has been going on for way too long, and you know you’re at fault in this. In a way you think you’ve been leading him on, having such a close relationship with him all the while knowing how he feels. Little smiles and touches here and there, hugs that perhaps lasted for too long. But it’s so hard not being close with Barry, he understands you on a level that Dan could never do, and in a twisted, horrible way, you’ve needed that, clung to it. But Barry’s just a friend to you, a confidante. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

“I can’t do this anymore,” he mutters, and you see a light flicker in his eyes, as if it slowly but surely goes out. “I can’t go around pretending everything’s okay, when it pains me to see you every day, sitting on the couch like there’s nothing going on,” You know what he’s trying to say, and for a moment you wonder to yourself, can you force yourself to love him? Can you live with yourself, in a fake relationship? Could you let go of Dan, would that even be an option? You don’t want to lose him, don’t want to lose your friendship, but you know that’s where this is going. And you can’t blame him. You really can’t.

He rises from the couch, abruptly, roughly, almost knocking you over in the process. He’s pacing around the apartment, hands in fists. He looks angry now, frustrated. It makes you shrink, makes you feel small. You stay on the floor, tears welling up in your eyes. The silence is broken by the violent boom of lightning and thunder rolling in the sky, almost as aggressive and ferocious as the feelings, the pain in your best friends expression.  
“I-I don’t know what to say,” you admit, getting up on shaky legs.

“Then don’t say anything,” he snaps. There’s a hint of resentment in his voice, an unforgiving force behind it. He strides over to you, grab you by the arm, it’s a whirlwind of movement, and before you can really react, his mouth covers your own. You’re pulled against him, you feel the taste of vodka on his tongue as it slips into your mouth. What’s going on? You can’t get your head to cooperate and you start to move almost against your own will. Eyes flutter shut and arms snake around his neck, slowly but surely responding to his kiss.

 

_I cherish you... I cherish you._   
_Just say you would do the same for me._

You’re against the wall, his hands are groping you, longing to feel your flesh against them. Your hands in his hair, pressing him to you, knowing well that as soon as you let go, it’s over. It’s the end. You grow desperate, your head fighting your heart, images of Dan flickering behind your eyelids. You’re breaking every rule, every bond of trust, crossing every line. It’s wrong, you’re wrong, it’s all wrong. But you can’t stop, won’t let it end. Not now. Your tears mix, salty drops of water blending, you don’t know where you end and he begins.

Strong hands roam your body, finds the hem of your shirt, move under it. The ball in your stomach grows bigger, your head hurts. The knot around you neck tighten. You need to stop it now, before it’s too late. The promise of farewell lingers in the air as you push him away. Your breaths are heavy, loud, deep inhale, sharp exhale. His eyes pierce through you, judge you, hate you. You want to scream. You want to kick, punch, throw something on the ground and watch it shatter. The resolution is clear in his eyes. The light has gone out of his puppy eyes. He turns without a word and strides over to the door.  
“Barry!” you call, but he doesn’t look at you, just leave you there, clasping your heart as he slams the door with a force you didn’t know he had, and you’re alone. You sink into yourself, let yourself unravel as the sobs find their way out of you, escaping your mouth in howls and gasps.

 

_Did you ever look, did you ever see that one person_   
_And the subtle way that they do these things and it hurts so much?_   
_So much like choking down the embers of a great blaze._

**Author's Note:**

> Anyone hating me yet, cuz I'm hating myself.


End file.
